A small Benin Plaque XIXth century or older, in the shape of a mud fish or insect coming from Donald Taitt collection a painter who lived in France and collected since the 1970's.
H= 29 cm. 32cm on the custom made metal stand.
The production of bronze objects was almost always done using the “lost wax” method of casting. In lost wax methodology, a model (the statue) is carved from wax, or for hollow castings, from a thin layer of wax surrounding a clay core. A mold is then created to surround the wax statue. In turn, molten metal is poured into the mold and the wax is displaced. Finally, the mold is broken to reveal the statue. Using this method it is only possible to create a one-of-a-kind object since the mold and the wax original are destroyed as part of the production process.
Those plaques where put on the Oba's palace walls in Benin City, that palace was dismantled by the British in 1897. (see illustration)
Perhaps it is here a illustration of a Goliathus goliatus first described by Linnaeus in 1771, they are pointed out to the Benin this species lives west of delta of Niger. ( see illustration)
Compare with the picture with yellow background: Palace plaque with Two Mudfish. Benin City, Nigeria mid 1600s AD No. 1907.44.0384 - Acquired in 1907 by Etnografiska museet - Stockholm, Sweden
- Object
- Plaque
- Indigenous object name
- Provenance Donald Taitt
- Ethnic group/ culture
- Benin
- Region/ country
- Nigeria
- Material
- Brass
- Period
- Late 19th century
- Condition
- Fair
- Sold with stand
- Yes
- Dimensions
- 29×13×2 cm